


The Jasmine Dragon

by HurtByTenderLies



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:07:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29670477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HurtByTenderLies/pseuds/HurtByTenderLies
Summary: Iroh thinks about Zuko and the name of his tea shop.
Kudos: 11





	The Jasmine Dragon

The Jasmine Dragon

Everyone was gathered at the tea shop, chatting like they didn’t just save the world. Iroh smiled gently at the group of teens sitting at a weathered wooden table. Zuko looked genuinely happy, and Iroh couldn’t help thinking of him as his own son. Iroh saw Zuko as his purpose. That was why he went with his nephew after his banishment. After loosing Lu Ten, Iroh had felt lost; his own son, killed in the war.

Iroh had never been a perfect man. He had been cruel to many people in his years as a general. He became “soft” in the years after Lu Ten was killed. After his son was gone, Azulon mysteriously died. Iroh knew his brother was behind it; he stepped aside then, instead of challenging Ozai. Iroh suspected foul play when he thought of Lu Ten’s death. What a shock that Iroh lost his only heir, then had the throne taken from him, the palace staff would say. He ignored them. Iroh wanted change, so he nurtured Zuko, loved him the way he loved his son. He knew Zuko would grow to be a better leader than his father if he had a guiding hand. He made sure to keep his distance; Zuko needed to learn on his own. He did that well.

Here he was, in the middle of his very own tea shop, a tear in his eye. He wiped it away and brought the crowded table another cup of Jasmine tea. Zuko had grown rather fond of it. No one could make tea the way his uncle did. The fragrant jasmine hit Toph’s nose. She had a very keen sense of smell and spoke up over everyone.

“Is jasmine your favorite or something?” She asked, rubbing her nose.

Iroh looked at her kindly. Holding a freshly poured tea cup in his hand, he wafted the scent to his nose.

“It was my son, Lu Ten’s, favorite. I chose to name my shop after his favorite tea.” He took a slow sip, savoring the light taste, “and of course, we shouldn’t forget that I’m the Dragon of the West!” He winked at Zuko and Aang, who nodded back at him, smiling.

Aang and Zuko knew that you needed two people to do the dragon dance. Zuko knew Iroh had done it with his own son. Zuko looked down into his own cup and saw his refection; the burn upon his face, forever marking him. Iroh walked over to Zuko and put a hand on his shoulder.

“I am so glad to have you here.” Iroh said honestly, squeezing Zuko’s arm a bit, then turning back to the others to raise his cup of tea. “Thank all of you for everything you have done for the nations, and importantly, thank you Zuko. I couldn’t have asked for a better son.”

They met eyes and both smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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